A Letter from Lancaster County: A Novel

Summary

Two Sisters Get a Second Chance at Life and Love

Angela

Her mother's untimely death, a struggling marriage, a strained relationship with her sister, Rose, and regrets over what might have been haunt her. Despite being a wife and mother, she feels she has little to show for her life.

Rose

Still single, she longs for a husband and children. But Angela has all that and still isn't happy. Rose wants to be closer to her older sister, but she and Angela couldn't be more different. Both strong women, will their sibling rivalry ever end?

When a letter arrives from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Angela and Rose decide to visit Aunt Silvia, their mother's Mennonite sister, in the heart of Amish country. This vacation could provide the opportunity both sisters need to sort out their issues. And yet instead of finding a new way of connecting with each other, Angela and Rose discover surprising family secrets that add to their strife and threaten Rose's romance with a new beau.

Through it all, the two sisters must find the faith necessary to face their personal problems and allow God to restore hope and healing to their hearts and relationship as only He can.

Reviews

What a wonderful story of two sisters who find themselves learning to accept each other . The invitation to visit their aunt must have surprised the sisters, but it will be a trip they will never forget. I loved how the author described the town and all the beautiful landscape. Aunt Silvia is one tough lady. She is fragile and quite ill but so wants to share memories with the girls. Right away you can see the different qualities Rose and Angela have . Rose is a sweet girl who sometimes is not sure of her abilities. She longs for a family and seems to be a bit jealous of her sister. Angela seems to have the perfect life. She has a wealthy husband and two children she adores, but both sisters are unhappy with their lives. I loved the times that the girls spent with their aunt at her place. It was definitely a culture shock with no electricity or modern conveniences. As the sisters start to go through things in the attic a secret is revealed. Will this secret destroy the family? Can Rose and Angela learn to forgive someone close to them ? It is a wonderful story that explores the dynamics of two sisters and their jealousy towards each other. It's funny how they each want happiness and think the other has that. The lessons in the story are good as Rose and Angela start to open up to each. Will they be able to repair their relationship? Can aunt Silvia find a doctor that can help her overcome her illness? The book is filled with life lessons and reminded me of how we think someone else's life looks better than our own. As the sisters start to look at their life, they find that they need to work on making themselves happy and being thankful for what they have. There are some emotional moments that really capture the essence of bonding with family. I enjoyed the ending and am looking forward to the next book in the series.I received a copy of this book from LitFuse. The review is my own opinion.

Title: A Letter from Lancaster County (A Novel)Author: Kate LloydPages: 336Year: 2017Publisher: Harvest HouseMy rating 5 out of 5 stars.Two sisters are on their way to visit with an aunt they haven’t seen in years after the death of their mother. Angela and Rose are as different as two sisters can be and unfortunately, they don’t currently enjoy a close relationship. What was really intriguing to read was their inner thoughts about how they really felt about each other among many other topics. Angela has a marriage that is less than satisfying and Rose is a single woman who truly is a unique character.Through their time with their aunt readers will enjoy seeing the adventures they have, the talks, walks, and interactions with their aunt and others in Lancaster County. As I read further and further into the novel, I was captured by the tale woven not just about the women, their experiences and such but about their spiritual life or lack thereof.It was fascinating to see how in the story the truth about things not always being what they seem came true in a couple of instances. I enjoyed Rose’s character because her personality just seemed to be determined, independent and a little bit of a stinker. Whereas Angela seemed to be one who liked to take things personally and yet came to see herself in a different way by the end of the book.I can’t wait for the second book to come out to see what the future holds for the sisters or any of the other characters I met for a short time in the pages of the novel.Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

A Letter from Lancaster County by Kate Lloyd is the first book in the Lancaster Discoveries series. Aunt Silvia writes a letter to her two nieces inviting them to visit her in Lancaster County. Angela and Rose take Aunt Silvia up on her invitation and leave their homes in Seattle. Angela is married to Frederick, an attorney, who spends most of his time working. Her two children are focused on their friends, cell phones, and video games. They are overly indulged by their parents. Angela feels a void in her life and envies Rose who is single. Rose owns a mail order business that sends out handmade bird houses, wind chimes, etc. out to customers. She is jealous of Angela with her husband and children. Both ladies are unhappy with their lives. The two sisters are very different and have never been close. This could be the perfect opportunity for the sisters to bond and grow closer. Aunt Silvia lives in the old family homestead and, upon exploration of the attic, the two sisters uncover secrets. This discovery further divides Rose and Angela. Will these two sisters find a way to come together? Why did Aunt Silvia invite Rose and Angela for a visit? Join Rose and Angela on their journey of discovery in A Letter from Lancaster County.The writing in A Letter from Lancaster County is different from the books in Kate Lloyd’s Legacy of Lancaster trilogy. Reading this Amish novel is akin to slogging through a giant pool of mud. The pace was lethargic. I did not think I would ever finish the tome. The chapters alternate between Rose and Angela’s POV (first person). It was hard to tell which one was talking. The first 80% of the book is the two sisters whining, complaining, criticizing, insulting, blaming (reminds me of two bickering teenagers) and thinking. I did like the last 20% of the book, but I do not see many people making it that far in the book. There is a nice epilogue at the end of the book (best part of the book). I am rating A Letter from Lancaster County 2 out of 5 stars. While I disliked the sisters, I was a fan of Aunt Silvia. She had a good outlook on life. I really liked it when Aunt Silvia said, “accept our losses, make the best of them, and trust the Lord to guide us.” The Christian element is very light (almost nonexistent). The cover, though, for A Letter from Lancaster County is beautiful. There is a preview for Simply Delicious at the end of the book. It is the second book in the Lancaster Discoveries series. I did like the sample provided. It has me intrigued. I wish A Letter from Lancaster County had been as appealing.

I really enjoyed reading this book and seeing the interaction between the two sisters. It gave me a feeling of how they were able to become closer even though they found out things that they did not previously know about their family. I really like books that have a sense of family and like seeing how the families deal with problems and use their faith to work through what they are faced with. This book tells the story of Angela who is unhappy in her marriage and does not have the best relationship with her sister Rose. Rose is not married, but would like to be, but does feel a bit wary as she sees how her sister is fairing in her marriage. When given the opportunity to visit an aunt in Pennsylvania, they both jump at the chance to get away from home and hopefully work out some things that are going on in their lives. I received a copy of the book from the publisher, but the review is entirely my own.

A story about coming to terms with their lives, and two sisters trying to find the way back to their family.We are in Amish/Mennonite Lancaster, PA area, and become immersed in the local land, traveling by both car and buggy. Sylvia is a Mennonite and has invited her estranged sister’s daughters to come and spend time with her, and for them it is a stretch to be in each other’s company, but Rose and Angela agree.The Author has these women opening up their hearts and fears as the story unfolds, hidden hurts and facts come to light, and we hope for healing, but some are so deep and held for so long.We meet Glenn a rebel Amish man, rebel in that he is beyond the age of joining the church and still has his foot on the fence, and yes these sisters are quickly interested in him.The story being told by each sister in their own point of view, and we travel from one to the other, often seeing the same thing differently.I personally loved the epilogue, what a great conclusion to this book, and wish more stories added these.I received this book through Litfuse Publicity Book Tours, and was not required to give a positive review.